Excavating-machine.



I. C. FRENCH. -ExeAvATlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4 I9I4.

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

l. C. FRENCH.

EXCAVATLNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4, 1914.

1,199,366. l Patented Sept'. 26,1916.

y 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M72 ey 1. c. FRENCH.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4. IBM.

1 1 99,366. Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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I. c. FRENCH.

EXCAVATINGv MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4, 1914.

1,199,366. PaIen/dsept. 26,1916.

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WM@ @MMM STATES PIA .uns c. FRENCH, or mosiaa, WISCONSIN, As'sIcNon. 'ro EnEDEEIcx c. AUSTIN, 0E

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To all 'whom it may concern.' Be itknown that I, JAMES C. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Kenosha, Kenosha county, Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful 'Improvement in Excavating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to trenching machines of that kind in which an annular vor ring-like element is supported for rotation in the ground, upon an axis extending transversely of the trench, and in which excavating buckets are secured in position around the periphery of the said annular clement,

each bucket discharging its contents when it reaches the highest point in its circular path of travel. Y

Generally stated, the object of-my invention is to provide a novel and highly efficient trenching machine of the foregoing general character. Y

A special object is to'provide a novel construction and arrangement whereby the buckets which are secured to the said rotary element, sometimes called a spokeless wheel, are adapted -to tilt about a horizontal axis for the purpose of discharging their contents, and whereby stationary cleaners can be used for forcibly ejecting the contents from the buckets, notwithstanding the fact that each bucket is formed in a manner to prevent the contents from falling out of the rear end thereof when it travels upward.

It is also an object to provide a novel construction and -arrangement of the annular rotary member, tending to insure greater strength and stability therefor, thus adapt' ing it for'use in situations where the -work is very heavy and the strain on the machine is more than usual. v l

It is also an object to provide certainV de tails of construction and combinations tending to increase the general eiiiciency and serviceability of a spokeless wheel trenching machine of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other 'usefull ends my invention consists in matters hereinafter" set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawingvFigure 1 is a side elevation of an excavator embodying the principles of my invention, showingA the spokeless wheel on ring and buckets raised to a position above the ground. Fig. 2 is a plan of said machine. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the excavating Specincaticn'oflettera Estant.

,of my invention. Fig. 13 is a lflanges f secured flatwise together. Fig. 7. The inner flanges f1 form a channel apparatus down in the ditch. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of theA said spokeless Wheel and buckets, partly in section, 'and with a portion of the guard plate broken away to bring the supporting frame into view: Fig. is a detail section on line 5-5- m Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on linel I cross-section online. 13--13 in Fig.'12.

Patented sept. 2c, 191e. Application niet mmh e, 1914.' serial no. Staes?.

,As thus illustrated, my invention comprises a body A supported upon wheels B and caterpillar traction devices C of any suitable character. The beam D is disposed at the rear of the body, having its end pivoted at d to the vertically adjustable support d1, which latter slides up and down in theguides cl2 on the body. A cable da, running` over a drum d, is attached to the support all, said cable being supported by the sheave d5 on the frame d", or in any suitable manner. A cable al7 is attached to the outer end of the beam D at d8, and is supported on a sheave .J9 on 'thel top of the frame d, the lower portion of this cable being wound on the drum d1", which latter is of any suitable character. The drums d4 and d1 f can be operated from the engine E by any suitable atv means. With this arrangement, the beam D can be raised and lowered and held at different angles.v Said engine E is also suitably connected with the caterpillars C to drive the machine forward.

The excavating apparatus is as follows The beam l) is composed of two parallel side members d suitably spaced kapart and rigidly connected together. Depending fr om said members is a frame d provided wlth four rollers d, and, a spokeless Wheel F is 'supported upon said rollers. This ring 4 or wheel is composed of two Z-bars bent into circular form and having their ouger ee between them for the central track f2 and the'two rows of gear teethv f3, the rollers d engaging said track. The webs f* are at right angles to said flanges, in cross seclios tion, and the teeth fs are engaged by the driving pinions f5 on the shaft f of one of said rollers, said shaft being supported in s'uitable bearings on the beam. Buckets G are mounted onl said ring or wheel F, each bucket being of the shape and character shown in Figs. 9,10 and 11. Said bucketl g5 of steel. The back of each bucket has a heel g6 that rides on the ground to hold -the spirit of iny invention.

bucket against the wheel or rim. Flaring guard plates H are riveted on the beam at opposite sides of the wheel, to keep the dirt from falling at each side while the buckets are moving upward to the dumping position. The spouts I receive the dirt from the buckets, the discharge being facilitated by the cleaners J disposed at said position. Said cleaners are curved plates disposed obliquely tothe direction. of the motion of the buckets, thereby deflecting the dirt from the webs f4, and also scraping the inner surface of each bucket. .Owing to the curved formation of the buckets, each bucket lifts or rises as it passes over the cleaners. Thus each bucket automatically dischargesl its load into one of said laterally projecting spouts I, or on to any suitable means. These cleaners aresecured to arms z' which are mounted on the beam. With this arrangement the buckets are practically closed at their ends while filling and carrying the dirt upward to dumping position, as the exit at'the rear end of each bucket is restricted to an extent to keep the wedge of dirt from passing out. The guard plates d'1* are secured to the frame d to cover theA wheel,

having curved edges conforming to the curve of the wheel or ring3 and straight upper edges disposed a little below 4the beam. Said` plates d preferably bear against the sides ofthe wheel .to keep'out the dirt. Theyalso assist in preventing the dirtl from escaping laterally from the buck ets while filling.

- In Figs. 12 and 13, the bucket G has its rear end provided with a notch g1 for the anges f, whereby the rear edge of the bucket engages the surface of the webst, thus more fully closing the rear end of e bucket while in loading and carryin tion. It will be seen that other c 'anges can be made without departing from the When the wheel `or ring F is in the ground, as shown in Fig. 3, and when 1t 1s posimesse@ rotated in the direction of the arrow, (see Flg. 3) the buckets take up the dirt and cut a straight trench. Thus the machine, is a trench cutter and adapted 4for use in laying tlle; For this purpose a shoe K is disposed n rear of the wheel to smooth the bottom vof the ditch. This shoeis of any suitable character. l

The cutting edge g'4L of each bucket eX- tends `vertically at the sides thereof, as well as around the lip of the bucket, While the latter is in loading position. These side cutters are provided foreach bucket, whereby the roots, etc., are cut by the forward progress ofthe machine through the ground. Also, as stated, and inasmuch as each load of dirt is wedge shaped, the heels g ride on the ground to keep the buckets in loading position. Otherwise, the hard wedges of clay or other hard soil might befpressed backward through the buckets after they are loaded, and while still in the ground. With this construction a clean cut is made through any kind of soil. i, f

It will be seen that the ring or rotary element F, sometimes called a Ispokeless wheel, is arranged in a vertical plane, and that the buckets G have their orbit disposed in this same vertical plane, whereby the forward movement of the ring or wheel and its buckets bodily results in\ the cutting of the trench. The pressure of the ground against the cutting edge of each bucket will tend L to hold the latter in loading position, and to keep the rear ends of the buckets pressed tightly 'against the ring or wheel F, butthe thrust of the dirt entering the buckets tends to swing them away from the ring or wheel,

as previously explained, and th1s is especially true when the machine is working in hard clay. To counteract this tendency,

be held in carrying position by its heel which slides on the ground and thereby` resists the thrust and wedginTgl action of the dirt enterin the bucket. e axes of motion provide by the pivots g? are horizontal and parallel, and each bucket is wider .than the ring or wheel, whereby each bucket forms or trims the opposite sides of the trench-that is to say, each bucket is as wide asthe trench. Such being the case, and with ,the buckets arranged to cut entirely' across the bottom ofthe trench, the ring or wheel F is driven by gearing whichv engages the inner side of `the ring, in the-manner explained.

for supporting said element in the trench,

.means for rotating `said element about an axis transverse of the trench, a series of tilting digging buckets disposed along the periphery of said element, each pivoted thereon, means engaging the ground in rear of the pivots to hold the buckets in carrying position while loading, and devices for discharging the dirt from' said buckets, said element having a cylindric outer surface for engaging the dirt in the buckets, said devices serving to tilt each bucket upward and away from said surface to discharge the load therefrom.

2. A. trenching machine comprising a circular or ring shaped rotary element, means for supportlng said element in the trench, means for rotating said element about an axi'stransverse of the trench, a series of tilting digging buckets disposed along the periphery of said element, each pivoted thereon, means engaging the ground in rear of the pivots to hold the buckets in carrying position while loading, and devices for discharging the dirt from said buckets, ea'ch bucket having a rearwardly tapering chamber, and said devices comprising a stationary cleaner disposed in osition to enter and raise the buckets as t e latter pass over upside down.

3. A trenehing machine comprising a circular or ring shaped rotary element, means for supporting said element in the trench, means or rotating said element about an -axis transverse of the trench, and a series of A buckets disposed along the periphery of said element, said supporting means including a frame having rollers, said element having a circular track toengage said rollers, said rotating means including pinions supportedV on said frame, and said element having teeth for engaging said pinions, disposed at each side of said track, said element being composed of two lianged rings secured together at the center of said track.

4. A trenching machine comprising a cirday of February 1914.

cular or ring shaped rotary element, means for sup orting said element in the trench, means or rotating said element about an axis transverse of the trench, a series of `tiltin digging buckets disposed along the perip ,ery of said element, each pivoted thereon, means engaging the ground in rear of the pivots to hold the buckets in carrying position while loading, and devices for dischargin the dirt from said buckets, said devices including plates set at angles to the direction of travel of the buckets, and curved i to present concave surfaces to the dirt in the buckets, each plate having an upper edge for engaging the buckets.

5. A'trenching machine comprising a circular or ring shaped rotary element, means for supporting said element in the trench,

lmeans for rotating said element about an axis transverse of the trench, a series of tilting buckets disposed along the periphery oi said element, pivoted thereon, and devices for dischargingthe dirt from said buckets, and curved plates between which the buckets travel upwardly to dumping osition, Haring outwardly from the sides o said element.

6. An excavating machine comprising a traveling support, an endless series of buckets pvoted on said support, operating in a vertical plane, and stationary means for successively tilting said buckets outward about their pivots to discharge the contents thereof, each .bucket being free Ito tilt about a horizontal axis relative to said support, except while held in loading position by the ground, each bucket having means for engagin the ground to hold it in said position.

7. n excavator comprising an endless series of digging buckets, pivots for said buckets, whereby each bucket has pivotal motion to discharge its load, means passing through the buckets at the place of discharge to clean each bucket, and a heel on each bucket to engage the ground and hold the bucket in loading position.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 14 JAMES C. FRENCH.

Witnesses: 4 v

RACHEL J. RICHARDSON,

Rose E. Stimmen.'` 

